MALDEF ISSUES STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Statement by Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF President and General Counsel

Los Angeles, CA – Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of MALDEF, issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s announcement by President Barack Obama of his personal support for marriage equality:

"MALDEF has long supported marriage equality, and we applaud the President's announcement that he also recognizes and supports this critical right. We look forward to the President's leadership on related issues of equality, including taking steps to immediately implement immigration practices that would accord the same family reunification rights equally to all binational spouses."

Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation's leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the "law firm of the Latino community," MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: www.maldef.org.